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Satellite broadband has been identified to be the way of the future. This is according to Yvette Atekpe, the Regional Managing Director of Internet Solutions (IS).
This observation according to her, can be attributed to the increasing demand by customers for universal and affordable internet access. Consumers she says are constantly on the lookout for the best and most reliable technology to meet their needs and requirements.
She was speaking at the launch of a partnership agreement reached between IS and Konnect Africa held at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, during which Ms Atekpe acknowledged Konnect Africa as a trustworthy partner who will be joining forces with IS to roll out broadband services through satellite technology in Ghana.
Konnect Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Jean-Claude Tshipama stressed on his company’s vision to enable universal coverage for all populations not only to Ghana but to the rest of Africa – in his remarks at the launch. He went on further to say that with a strong internet coverage, people across the continent can then leverage the full potential of digital connectivity – to access information, grow businesses and boost economic development.
Internet Solutions will be creating jobs as there will be a need for installation of satellites for the various consumers of the broadband and has promised that installers will be provided with specific training, motivation, and incentives to further improve the quality of services.
Internet Solutions intends to use its expertise in service delivery and customer support to run on Konnect Africa’s state-of-the-art satellite infrastructure in order to provide broadband connectivity to urban, rural, and the most remote locations in Ghana.


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LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--China Mobile International Ltd (CMI) today announced the launch of CMLink, its mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) business in the UK. CMLink will provide mobile voice and data services designed for Chinese immigrants, students and professionals living in and traveling to the UK.
There is a significant Chinese community living and working in the UK with over 433,0001 British-Chinese living in the UK today. Furthermore, over 82,000 Chinese nationals were studying in the UK on student visas2, up 17 percent year-on-year, while visits to the UK from China reached 115,0003 in the first half of 2017, 47 percent higher than last year. This growing trend of travel between China and the UK has created demand for services that enable consumers to stay connected.
“China Mobile’s ‘Big Connectivity’ strategy affirms its vision of becoming a leading global operator with innovative digital services.” said Dr. Li Feng, Chairman and CEO at CMI. “While China Mobile serves 880 million domestic mobile subscribers, CMI – its operating subsidiary responsible for international business – is breaking new ground in overseas markets. With the growing business and cultural exchanges between China and the UK, the launch of CMI’s CMLink MVNO, enables Chinese communities to stay connected with family, friends and business partners anytime, anywhere. We expect the UK launch to be a new chapter in CMI delivering compelling digital services that break down barriers of communication for global consumers while fostering open exchange between Belt and Road companies.”
The CMLink MVNO comes with three main features:
- CMLink is currently the only MVNO service with no extra fees on data, minutes and texts across the UK, selected destinations in the EU, mainland China and Hong Kong SAR.
- CMLink subscribers can conveniently make free calls to 880 million China Mobile users in China.
- To meet the increasing data demands of the Internet Age, CMLink MVNO also offers a Data Growth Pack which rewards subscribers with an extra 5 percent data allowance each month, up to a total of 200 percent more data.
Thanks to a partnership with BT to use its leading EE mobile network, CMLink customers will be able to benefit from the biggest 4G network in the UK, which extends to 86 percent of the UK’s landmass, rising to 95 percent by 2020.
Gerry McQuade, CEO BT Wholesale & Ventures said: “I’m delighted BT has been chosen by China Mobile International to help them as they enter the UK mobile market using our EE network. Our MVNO offering is best in class thanks to the strength and coverage of our EE mobile network, which is the largest 4G network in the UK and continues to expand.
“Our partnership will allow Chinese people and communities to stay connected, whether they are UK residents, students, here on business or visiting as tourists.”
From today, customers can apply for a free CMLink SIM card with free worldwide shipping, by visiting www.cmlink.com/uk or calling +44 (0)79 7300 0186.
About China Mobile International
Established in December of 2010, China Mobile International Limited ("CMI") is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Mobile Limited, mainly responsible for the operation of China Mobile’s international business.
In response to China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the mother group’s “Big Connectivity” strategies, CMI leverages China Mobile’s global network and its experience of serving over 880 million domestic mobile subscribers to expand its global market and international business to help the Belt and Road companies go out. Furthermore, CMI is committed to delivering a complete international telecommunication service to the global community, including International Calls, Mobile Roaming, International Network Data, Multinational Corporation Service and Top Up service etc.
Headquartered in Hong Kong, CMI has 19 overseas offices aimed at expanding its business globally.
Additional Press Materials: http://bit.ly/2kqqnj2
1 Office for National Statistics https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/2011census

domain: news


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Pleasanton plates: Exciting news from Pleasanton and the answer to the big question of where Bluestem”s exec chef is going to pop up next: at Pleasanton”s new Sabio on Main, the upscale, small plates restaurant that will open this summer. San Francisco”s chic Bluestem Brasserie has been all over the foodie news recently, as the kitchen changed leadership and Francis X. Hogan, who spent four years steering that restaurant to 4-star reviews, said goodbye. Now Hogan, who lives in Oakland, will be working closer to home as exec chef and co-owner of Sabio.
He”s planning a global, small plates menu that includes fare from Europe, Asia and Latin America, but primarily from the Iberian Peninsula. The restaurant”s name is a nod to Spain”s King Alfonso X, who invented tapas. They called him El Sabio, the wise one.
Look for an opening this summer — they”re estimating August — at 501 Main St., in the new Pastime Plaza. Brunch, lunch, dinner and craft cocktails. Yum.
Luxe sweets: Rosie O”Neill and Josh Resnick watched “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” on their third date and were inspired to give up their careers for confections — high-end, sophisticated, adult confections. The result was Southern California-based Sugarfina, which will open its first Silicon Valley boutique at San Jose”s Santana Row late this summer. Want a taste of Beverly Hills? These imported goodies — they even stock marshmallows coated in 24-karat gold — attract a celeb clientele, including “The Real Housewives.” Among the customer faves are champagne gummy worms from Germany and Rainbow Kyoto Blossoms from Japan. But after peeking at the website, we can”t wait to try the Cuba Libre candies (spiced rum and cola, naturally) and the intriguingly named Aphrodite Kumquat.
Pierogies plus: Polish associations, folk dance ensembles, churches and vendors are coming together to present the Bay Area”s largest-ever Polish Heritage Festival, PolCa. They”ve picked a central location for the May 30 event — Belmont”s Twin Pine Parks — and will present live jazz music from Poland, dance performances and plenty of good, authentic Polish food from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Polska Foods of Saratoga will bring its organic, locally made pierogi (there”s even a mushroom-kraut vegan one); Seakor European Deli of San Francisco will grill several varieties of its Polish sausages; Maria”s Catering of Davis will make the potato pancakes and Polish crepes; and members of cultural and church groups will take care of the stuffed cabbage, pastries, poppy seed rolls and bigos, a meat and cabbage stew. Admission, $3-$5. Details: www.polcafestival.com.
Expansion: The wildly popular CREAM — fans will recall that”s an acronym for Cookies Rule Everything Around Me — is now making its high-end ice cream sandwiches in Cupertino at 19501 Stevens Creek Blvd. More locations are planned for Milpitas, Los Gatos and San Jose”s Almaden Valley. And no, even those additions may not put a dent in the long lines.
Send tips to Linda Zavoral at email@example.com.


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OmniActive Health Technologies is marking one year since it launched its award-winning education campaign Lutein for Every Age™ at Expo West/Engredea in 2013. Aimed at natural products industry members, health care professionals and consumers, Lutein For Every Age raises awareness surrounding the importance of early and consistent lutein supplementation for maintaining proper health over a lifetime. During the past year, OmniActive has enlisted a team of key opinion leaders and scientific experts, including Dr. Jeffrey Anshel, president of the Ocular Nutrition Society and Dr. James Stringham, infant neural and ocular development researcher at the University of Georgia, to speak about the cumulative benefits of lutein when taken over a lifetime with leading publications and at key natural products industry trade shows.
“We have accomplished a lot over the past year in terms of raising visibility surrounding lutein and its crucial role in overall health, but for us this is just the beginning,” stated Lynda Doyle, global vice president of marketing at OmniActive Health Technologies. “Lutein for Every Age is a long-term campaign that we hope will help close the dietary and generational gap that exists for lutein intake.”
OmniActive will also launch its new curcumin ingredient CurcuWIN™, a turmeric extract powder standardized to 20 percent curcuminoids in the ratio in which they are naturally found in turmeric. In a well-controlled human clinical trial comparing commercial curcumin products, CurcuWIN increased relative absorption of total curcuminoids 46 times over standard curcumin. OmniActive will also be discussing the latest developments surrounding its core products as well including Lutemax Free Lutein®, Lutemax Lutein Esters®, Lutemax® 2020 Lutein with enhanced levels of Zeaxanthin isomers, OmniXan™ Zeaxanthin, and Capsimax® Capsicum Extract, as well as their unique delivery systems UltraSOL™ Nutrient System Technology and OmniBead™ Beadlet Technology.
To learn more visit OmniActive Health Technologies at Expo West/Engredea booth #515, March 7 to 9 in Anaheim, Calif., or visit omniactives.com.


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Considering the show has its own beer, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. To celebrate the DVD release of its fourth season, HBO UK is hosting a three-day Game of Thrones pop-up restaurant in London that promises a “one-of-a-kind epic banquet” for a few lucky contest winners. Isn’t that what the invitation to the Tully/Frey wedding said?
Fans are asked to enter a draw for a seat at London’s Andaz Liverpool Street hotel on one of three nights, starting on February 13. The menu will be prepared by The Wandering Chef and looks to be worthy of anyone chasing the Iron Throne. There are few details available so far, but one menu item has been teased–“The Lies of Tyrion Lanninster and his Proclaimed Innocence” which is poached veal tongue with beetroot, horseradish and Oldtown mustard. Here’s hoping there will be some dire wolf cake for dessert.


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LG unveiled the latest addition to its popular G-series line at Mobile World Congress, the all-new-look G6 smartphone. Completely made over from last year’s design, the G6 features a stylish metal-and-glass body with a larger 5.7" 2880 x 1440 display. The screen looks super crisp, thanks to its 565 ppi pixel density, and now utilizes a unique 18:9 aspect ratio. It’s also IP68-rated to be water
Lenovo debuted the Moto G5 Plus at Mobile World Congress this weekend, and in doing so reemphasized the G-series as one of the best budget phones on the planet. The G5 Plus sports a new, sleek-looking aluminum body and features an all-around spec boost, including an upgraded Snapdragon 625 processor and Galaxy-S7-worthy
The most buzz to come out of Barcelona wasn’t from what you’d expect: Instead of a fancy smartphone with bells and whistles galore, the humble Nokia 3310 garnered the most attention. A revival of the Finnish brand’s legendary indestructible feature phone, the new 3310 has just enough
Fitbit announced an upgrade to its hugely popular Alta wristband today, the aptly named Alta HR. The Alta HR is a refresh of last year’s model. This time around, it incorporates wrist-based heart-rate data and enhanced sleep-tracking features for a more detailed picture of your activity.
Great photos and videos come from great timing and great placement, and Joby’s ultra-flexible tripods and stands are known as prime tools to help you get the shot you want, from the unlikeliest of angles. Their new GripTight ONE line helps you achieve the same results, this time with your smartphone
Huawei has announced a new addition to its Mate 9 smartphone: Amazon’s Alexa artificially intelligent voice assistant, available for the first time on an Android phone. Available as an OTA (over-the-air) update, Alexa has more than 10,000 skills, such as managing your smart home when
Samsung has unveiled its new flagship devices, giving the world its first peek at the Galaxy S8 and S8+. The handsets’ most striking feature is the Infinity Display, which eschews side bezels to allow the 5.8" screen (6.2" on the S8+) to curve gracefully around the edges of the phone for a more immersive experience.


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Mobile World Congress 2016 has given us a glimpse into the innovations that will hit our stores this year. From the looks of things we will get much more than just thinner handsets. Many phone manufacturers have flooded the event with gadgets and accessories that can be bundled with phones. These include virtual reality headsets, 360-degree cameras, and a digital assistant masquerading as an earpiece.
If we piece together the scenes at Mobile World Congress, we can build a picture of the hyper-connected world that previously existed only in our imaginations. Forecasts vary about the actual number of connected objects we will have by 2020, but it will be in the billions! As these connected devices become more embedded in our lives, we have to face the possible downsides of the technology—especially those looking to exploit it.
Unfortunately, more devices means more opportunity for hackers, and further security threats. In our most recent Mobile Threat Report, we detected in the last six months around 37 million mobile malware within app stores, while ransomware on mobile has increased by 155% in the past year. Consequently, the need for strong mobile security foundations has never been greater. This goes beyond solely using a PIN and password to protect our
devices and data.
But the threat doesn’t stop at the devices. With more devices come greater amounts of data. And how we support the vast volume of data that results from this proliferation of devices is something that has also been brought into focus during this Congress. From Facebook’s announcement of the Telecom Infra Project—an initiative to overhaul the network infrastructure to meet the world’s data demands ahead of the 5G rollout, to Intel’s collaborations with mobile network providers and hardware manufacturers—5G is truly the biggest topic in Barcelona.
5G is set to become the backbone for the Internet of Things, supporting 1,000 times the data volume of today, and it will usher us into the hyper-connected era. But for 5G to enable our connected lives, whether at work, rest, or play, it must be delivered on a foundation of trust.
Therefore, it is important we don’t get carried away by the buzz around the announcements at Mobile World Congress. First, we need to get the right security foundations in place before we are swept into a world in which we hand our lives over to a wearable.
We need to do more to put users in control of their devices and digital identities; companies have a responsibility to better enable this level of control. Only when that trusted mobile experience is in firmly in place can we can take advantage of a 5G world on a scale bigger than a showroom in Spain.
Raj Samani is VP, CTO for EMEA, Intel Security


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- SPECIAL REPORTS
Items Tagged with 'manufacturing history'
What will factories look like 100 years from now when the bicentennial of the moving assembly line is celebrated? Will people still be involved in the production process?
When the moving assembly line debuted at Ford’s Highland Park factory 100 years ago, the world was becoming a smaller place, thanks to canals, flying machines, road maps and highways.
This month marks the official celebration of the world’s first moving assembly line. On Oct. 7, 1913, 140 assemblers stationed along a 150-foot chassis line at a Ford Motor Co. plant just north of Detroit stood in place as the work came to them.
The late Eiji Toyoda was a giant in the world of lean manufacturing and quality control.
DETROIT—A nonprofit community organization is launching an online crowd funding campaign to raise $125,000 to preserve parts of Ford Motor Co.’s historic Highland Park complex, where the moving assembly line was invented.
YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, MI—The factory where Rosie the Riveter showed that a woman could do a “man’s work” by building World War II-era bombers, will be demolished if money can’t be found to save it.
Today, the plant where BMW assembles the Mini is celebrating its 100th birthday. The first motor car to emerge from the factory in Oxford, England, on March 28, 1913, was a Bullnose Morris Oxford.
Ford is marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Henry Ford and the 100th anniversary of the assembly line.
Hasbro wants to replace one of the tokens for the classic Monopoly board game. I think it should pick a token that celebrates the proud history of U.S. manufacturing.


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British banks could be reluctant to report the true extent of cybercrime for fear of spooking customers, a Treasury Select Committee has heard.
The Committee held a hearing into cybercrime and fraud held as part of its inquiry into the ‘Treatment of Financial Services Consumers’.
Evidence of these allegations came from Dr Richard Clayton, a senior researcher in security economics at the University of Cambridge, who said “insider” accounts of fraud losses are double the numbers generally reported publicly.
In a statement following the hearing, Treasury Committee Chairman Andrew Tyrie said that he would raise the issue with banks and regulators.
“The Committee today heard that the amount of fraud reported by banks may substantially understate the true scale of the problem. This is concerning,” he said. “I will be writing to the banks and regulators to obtain a fuller picture on this issue.”
A Home affairs Committee report on e-crime in July last year has already accused British banks of letting cyber-crooks carry out crime in a ‘black hole’ of impunity by failing to report or investigate fraud.
Barclays has signed contracts with six of the fintech startups that just graduated from its second New York accelerator programme.
Company card killer Pleo has raised $3m in new funding as it prepares for public launch in the UK and Denmark.
Cheques are become less and less common in the UK according to new research from global market research firm Mintel which claims contactless card use has overtaken cheque payments in the UK for the first time.
Payments for digital and physical goods made mobile operating system-based payments platforms like Apple Pay and Android Pay are expected to boom in the next few years according to new analysis from Juniper.


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BEIJING — China needs to make tangible, bold economic moves very soon to ensure its citizens and trade partners the new government is serious about reform, leading scholars and analysts said at a conference in Beijing this week.
Well-known Chinese academics and executives from major companies and organizations gathered in the capital at the annual Caixin Summit, a forum on critical issues hosted by China’s leading independent business magazine. The two days of discussion focused on the potential for reform in the Communist Party of China’s newest leadership team, led by President Xi Jinping. Though the central government has signaled it will undertake several new policy directions, it has yet to establish any timetables or new legal framework nearly a year into its tenure.
Most critically, the speakers said, any new reforms must tamp down on China’s widespread systemic government corruption.
Outgoing U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke on Thursday spoke about the importance of building a rule of law and a functioning, independent judicial system to China’s credibility in the worlds of international business and trade.
“People need to know the rules will be applied equally now matter who you are or how much power you have,” Locke told the gathering.
The ambassador, a former governor and prosecutor, is leaving the post soon to return to the United States. Reports on Wednesday from Democrat officials in the U.S. said President Obama would nominate Sen. Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat and longtime head of the Senate Finance Committee, as the new ambassador to China.
Locke laid out for listenershow American-style adherence to rule of law and an independent judiciary have helped build trust in the government system. In particular, Locke said, “what business people are not willing to accept is arbitrary rule of law.”
China’s court system does not operate independently from the rest of government, and it is long fraught with the taint of corruption. Both Chinese citizens and companies tend to be skeptical the court system will produce fair, non-biased outcomes.
“How does a society build confidence in the integrity of its legal system?” asked Locke. “The answer is, steadily. It takes years.”
The judiciary is just one aspect where China faces deep systemic problems related to corruption that could undermine the government’s very foundation, other speakers said in subsequent panel discussions. President Xi has pledged to crackdown on corruption and the promise of a heavy-handed campaign against official abuse had already produced some tangible results — namely in form of a sudden slowdown in the luxury market in China.
According to a report released this week by the consulting firm Bain & Co., luxury spending in China has slowed significantly. Bain estimates that luxury sales in Mainland China grew by just 2 percent in 2013, compared with 7 percent growth a year earlier. The consultancy said men's wear and watches were particularly hard hit this year, with sales of luxury timepieces falling 11 percent.
“The highly visible government campaign encouraging frugality and focusing on corruption had a large impact on gifting, which had been one of the major growth engines of the sector,” the firm said in a news release about its 2013 China Luxury Goods Market Study.
Bain expects the trend to continue through 2014, unsurprising given the ongoing high profile Xi’s regime has put on anti-corruption efforts. Thus far, however, the clampdown does not appear to include China’s top leadership and its own ties to family fortunes gained through political connections.
Summit speakers said the campaign must be serious, and China’s officials should open themselves to public scrutiny, and allow journalists to report about connections and corruption more openly.
Xu Chenggang, an economist at Hong Kong University, said boosting the independence of China’s judicial system and how it handles private-property ownership, among other issues, would help restore confidence in the system.
“This is not just abstract theoretical discussion, but (this is) what we are discussing in the capital markets when there are so many state-owned enterprises in the markets,” said Xu.
EXCLUSIVE: @tomford is opening its first-ever beauty store. The boutique, which opens November 20 in London’s Covent Gardens, was designed with the over-the-top glam Ford is known for. Read the full story on WWD.com, link in bio. #wwdbeauty #wwdnews (📷: Simon Wagner) #TomFordBeauty
New York-based DJ @harleyvnewton threw a party to celebrate the holiday collection of her dress and pajama line @hvn at the Ladurée Beverly Hills. It Girls @katebosworth, @rashidajones and more joined in on the fun, which included cocktails, croque monsieur sandwiches and a photo booth. #wwdfashion (📷: Owen Kolasinski/BFA.com)
For the holidays, @Burberry partnered with 20-year-old artist @blondeymccoy on a series of three outdoor murals in downtown Manhattan. The murals are McCoy’s interpretation of a Christmas eve party, the idea of charity and the spirit of family. His third mural, pictured here, is the most personal. The image depicts McCoy’s grandparents and father in London’s Trafalgar Square in the Seventies. “My work often features lots of sentimental objects.” #wwdeye
For spring 2018, designers applied bold colors and cartoonish motifs on everything from sneakers and belts to key chains. See all the top men’s accessories trends on WWD.com. #wwdtrends (📷: George Chinsee; Prop Styling by @rnasti; Market Editor: @luiscampuzano)
The @dior-sponsored @guggenheim international gala pre-party has a history of drawing cool-girl musical acts to serenade the crowd –– and last night was no exception. @haimtheband performed songs both new and old, and lured a star-studded audience with the likes of Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Mamoudou Athie and more. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)
In a partnership between the @metopera and the @englishnationalopera, “Marnie” was born. The opera, with costumes sponsored by @mrporterlive, is an adaptation of the 1961 thriller by Winston Graham. Arianne Phillips, who created the costumes, is no rookie: She’s styled Madonna for her tours and created costumes for a myriad of films in the past. Read WWD’s interview with Phillips, where she talks about her inspiration for the opera’s costumes on WWD.com #wwdfashion
@barneysnyc took a different approach to their holiday windows this year. Instead of Christmas decor, Barneys tapped @thehaasbrothers to tell a story of positivity, gratitude and inclusivity via heartwarming silliness and humor. “It’s about kids and it’s about coming together and being family and loving each other,” said Simon Haas. #wwdfashion (📷: @joshuascottphoto)
Beauty influencer @kandeejohnson makes her foray into hair care with a collaboration with @ogx_beauty — making it the first time that OGX has teamed up for a product creation. The collab includes shampoos and conditioners in three scents. At 39 and a mom, Johnson is a different profile than the emerging social media stars, but is considered one of the pioneers of the digital beauty influencer world. Read WWD’s interview with her on wwd.com, including the strangest beauty product she’s ever tried #wwdbeauty


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Certain supermarket loyalty programmes are taking advantage of the cost of living crisis by allowing only those who hand over large amounts of personal data to avail of steep discounts, campaigners say.
Customer privacy is becoming a “luxury” for many struggling households because shoppers who wish to protect their personal information are being charged a premium by some supermarkets, which deny them access to deals enjoyed by those signed up to loyalty programmes, they have warned.
An analysis of privacy policies used by the UK’s two largest supermarket chains, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, has uncovered “disturbing” uses for shopper data buried in the small print.
Tesco’s Clubcard scheme and Sainsbury’s Nectar programme are able to create detailed profiles of customers’ preferences and spending habits that can be sold to other companies, which can target the public with specific adverts based on shoppers’ purchase histories, said privacy group Big Brother Watch.
Although directly identifying details such as names and membership numbers are removed, the information is granular enough to feed into “hyper-specific targeting” in the form of tailored advertising, it claimed.
Tesco and Sainsbury’s both tie access to discounts to data sharing, and are “the worst offenders” among the UK’s largest grocery chains for selling on the data, according to the findings.
With extreme food price inflation and spiking energy, fuel and transport bills pushing millions of households to the brink, the freedom of choice shoppers ostensibly have when deciding whether to sign up to loyalty schemes that offer members deep discounts in exchange for detailed data may be limited.
Tesco, the grocery chain with the largest market share has in recent months overhauled its Clubcard scheme, moving away from offering rewards to be enjoyed further down the line such as treats and days out, to aggressively discounting products specifically for loyalty card holders in an attempt to compete with budget rival Aldi.
Store signage and advertising makes it clear to shoppers that those not signed up to the programme will pay more for a host of products.
Essential items including cereal, cheese and nappies are substantially cheaper for customers willing to part with their data.
Currently, packs of Pampers nappies are priced at £10 for 25 for non-Clubcard holders, while shoppers signed up to the scheme will pay just £6. A 500g box of Jordans Country Crisp cereal costs £3.30 for non-members but £1.80 for Clubcard holders, while a 550g block of Cathedral City cheddar is £1.40 dearer for shoppers not willing to hand over their data, costing £5.40 compared to £4.
In addition to “identity” data including the names, titles, addresses and phone numbers of Clubcard holders, the retailer collects information about customers’ bank accounts, payment card details and purchase history. “This includes when, where, what and how you purchased that product or service,” the document states.
“We may share personal data with…our retail partners, media partners and service providers,” it says.
Tesco’s media partners include Facebook and Google, while Clubcard members who are also customers of Sky or Virgin Media “may see tailored TV advertising when using those platforms, based on your general shopping habits and those of similar households”.
Tesco does not sell customer data at an identifiable level to third parties.
Internal Sainsbury’s figures shared with investors in 2021 show that using the Nectar scheme could save customers up to £200 a year.
However, during a presentation to investors, the contents of which are publicly available online, the company revealed that it goes beyond gauging customer preferences – it also tries to predict if shoppers can afford to spend more in store by analysing their “headroom”.
Those deemed to have more income at their disposal might then be offered deals on pricier products to tempt them to spend more, while “highly price sensitive” customers could instead be offered a “deeper discount” on core ranges.
“The result is a completely personalised set of prices for each and every customer,” Nectar’s head of analytics said, according to a transcript of the presentation.
Big Brother Watch argued shoppers were “effectively paying a premium to protect their data”, and that “customer privacy is becoming a luxury”.
“It is worrying that some supermarkets are taking advantage of a cost of living crisis by pushing shoppers into trading more and more of their personal data to access discounts that used to be available to all,” said Jake Harfurt, a spokesman for the group.
“There is a serious risk that shoppers will feel pressured into handing over their data if the trend of requiring a loyalty card to access any special offer continues.”
He added: “Retailers should be clear about how they use customers’ data and not bury the details deep in complex privacy policies.”
Sainsbury’s said: “We are doing everything we can to support customers with the rising cost of living, including investing over £550m into lowering prices over the last two years. Initiatives such as our Nectar loyalty programme allows us to offer customers great deals and personalised offers based on their shopping habits, which means they can get even lower prices on the products they buy the most.
““We understand privacy is important to our customers and we make every effort to be transparent about how customer data is used at Nectar.”
Tesco declined to comment.


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While it came as little surprise to us here at Gear Diary, the North American Car and Truck of the Year were announced as both being from the Chevrolet stable: The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Silverado 1500, respectively. The winners were announced at a ceremony that kicked off the 2014 North American International Auto Show media days in Detroit.
The NACTOY winners were selected by members of the automotive press and were whittled down from an initial group of 28 cars and 18 trucks/utilities that were all new or significantly upgraded for the 2014 model year. In September that list was narrowed to 12 each and from there 48 journalists from the U.S. and Canada voted from the Cadillac CTS, Corvette Stingray and Mazda3 as car finalists and Acura MDX, Chevy Silverado and Jeep Cherokee in the truck category.
Last year’s winners were the Cadillac ATS for Car of the Year and Ram 1500 as Truck of the Year. This is the first time Chevrolet has swept the awards. The Silverado last won NACTOY honors in 2007 and it has been since 1998 for Corvette.


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During one year of the existence of two consoles that compete each other tight, Playstation 4 is to be recognized to be on the wind. With cheaper prices, stronger raw performance, and exciting games that are tempting enough, it continues to lead from the sales side. Even regardless of its identity as a product that comes out of the Japanese company’s manufacturer, Playstation 4 managed to become champions in the United States market for the last 11 months, respectively. But the dominance is finally broken. For the first time, official data shows that Xbox One is now at the top of the sale. Playstation 4, finally submit!
Based on data released by NPD, Xbox One finally managed to hold the title as the console with the biggest sales in the United States during last November 2014. Not only in the United States, a similar popularity jump also occurred in the UK – as one of the main gamer market in Europe. Microsoft’s crazy price decline with game bundle is no less tempting allegedly contribute to the achievement of this one. No kidding, Microsoft managed to sell no more than 1.2 million console units in such a short time roblox robux generator .
Microsot is certainly pleased with this achievement. VP Xbox Marketing – Mike Nichols confirmed that Xbox One is the best-selling console in the United States for the November 2014 period. He admitted very amazed by the response of Xbox fans welcome this holiday season and get roblox hack on here.
Will this Xbox One dominance continue to last until the next month? Will it be able to prove itself as a next generation seductive platform next year? Let’s wait for another Microsoft breakthrough.


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Friends Life has completed its move into new group headquarters, at One New Change in the City of London.
Friends Life is one of the first companies to move into the office space at One New Change. Designed by award-winning architect Jean Nouvel, Land Securities’ retail and office development opened in October 2010.
The new home for the business follows its official launch in March.
Occupying 48,000 sq. ft. over a single floor, One New Change will accommodate up to 350 employees, including the Group’s executive directors and corporate teams.
David Hynam, executive director, operations at Friends Life, said: “Right on the heels of the launch of Friends Life


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A cannabis dispensary in the City of Shasta Lake is one of the first in the state to become licensed for recreational marijuana sales.
530 cannabis has been serving the local medical cannabis community for more than 8 years.
But come January 1, they will be one of only a handful of businesses in the state also licensed to sell recreational cannabis.
“On January 1, we can open our doors to a whole new market and that's the adult use market,” 530 Cannabis owner Jamie Gardot said. “So we're going to be a little bit more busy than usual, which is great.”
For one medical marijuana patient battling cancer, having local access to medical cannabis has been a godsend.
“It helps me when I don't want to eat, definitely,” cancer patient Joyce Vandermeer said. “And from the nausea it does really help a lot.”
The only difference between medical and recreational customers is that there will eventually be limitations as to the amount and potency you can buy as a recreational user.
“After July, recreational consumers will be capped at 100 milligrams pre edible, whereas there will not be a potency cap for medical,” Gardot said.
One man said he may just ditch his patient card once it expires since he'll still be able to get his medicine under the new law.
But Vandermeer said she plans on keeping her card because she said it makes her feel legit.
“I like the idea of keeping the licence status,” she said.
Gardot said this is a milestone for the entire industry.
“California remember was the first state to approve medical cannabis back in 1996,” Gardot said. “So this day has been a long time coming. And I'm just really excited to be a part of history.”
Gardot said she's excited to be moving in a new direction.
“And then to be part of this process for the entire state, is just very very gratifying,” She said. “And I know I've said this word before, but historic and it is and that's what makes it so exciting.”
As more businesses apply with the state, more licences will eventually be issued.
But for now, the only closest dispensary selling marijuana for adult use is 250 miles south in Santa Rosa.
- Local dispensary gets one of first recreational cannabis licenses in California
- Redding Decision on Cannabis Retail Licenses Delayed
- UPDATED: California Cannabis - Open for Business
- California authorities seize pot from licensed company
- Q&A on marijuana dispensaries held in Oroville
- Redding Dispensary Aims to Change Industry Stereotypes
- Marijuana dispensary employee robbed in Chico
- Local group challenges Tehama County cannabis laws
- City of Shasta Lake officials looking forward to proceeds from recreational cannabis
- Fighting for Commercial Cannabis


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Netflix is reportedly testing an instant replay feature for specific scenes, according to the LA Times.
Currently, those testing the functionality will receive a pop up that reads “watch that scene again,” during certain movies. The examples used were Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and Dumplin’. Users are able to go back to the start of favourite scenes or “memorable moments with the click of a button,” said a Netflix spokesperson to the LA Times.
This feature seems like a more in-depth version of the simple rewind functionality, though some testers are not a fan of it.
Hey @netflix, that “watch this scene again” pop-up in the middle of a movie is garbage and you should be ashamed of yourselves.
— Scott Renshaw (@scottrenshaw) December 11, 2018
However, if Netflix adds a setting that allows users to make this an optional feature — and somehow less distracting — this could possibly be a big step for the streaming service.
Netflix typically beta tests its features before in select regions before releasing it worldwide. It’s currently unclear if the replay scene functionality is being tested anywhere other than the U.S.
We’ve reached out to Netflix to learn more about the feature. Let us know in the comments below if you’ve received the “watch that scene again” pop up.


text: So far, the evolution of wearable computers has been glacially slow. Google is taking their sweet time perfecting Google Glass (which is appreciated, because we are all sick of half-baked devices spamming the market before they are ready). Speaking of half-baked devices, Samsung Galaxy Gear leaves a great deal to be desired. It doesn't quite have enough functionality to warrant its high price. Still, if you think that wearable devices are simply a fad that will fade away you might want to rethink that perspective. Nearly every big-name manufacturer in the technology world is moving toward offering something in the realm of wearable computers starting this year and beyond. Of course we have the obvious companies like Google, Samsung, LG and many others who have either announced or are working on wearable computing devices. We also have the not-so-obvious companies even getting in the game. One example is Intel's new "Edison," which is a computer in an SD card designed to be a "plug-and-play" device for OEMs to jump start a wearable line. Even Qualcomm, the chipset manufacturer for other OEMs, has announced plans to make and sell their own line of smartwatches. Make no mistake, 2014 will see a big push into this market from around the globe, and because of this, eventually we might actually see some useful devices emerge. But... is it possible they are much closer than expected? Thanks to Kickstarter, that question is a yes. At CES this year there are two small indie startups putting forth Android based smartwatches which are possibly a big step forward in the technology and may actually usefulness and even get close to being affordable. What is truly intriguing about both of these devices is that neither of them need another smartphone to tether to via bluetooth. They both can accept SIM cards and become your wearable phone-watch. First we have a device called the TrueSmart from Omate. Here's a spec breakdown of the device and a video above where you can see it demoed. It has a version which starts at $250 (Source: Phandroid). 1.3 GHz dual-core Cortex A7 processor Android 4.2.2 1.54-inch TFT display (240 x 240) Multi-touch Capacitive Touch Screen 2G/3G/WiFi/bluetooth 4.0/GPS 5 MP camera Speaker & microphone 512MB + 4GB of internal storage (expandable by microSD 8/16/32GB) Micro SIM card slot 600 mAh battery (up to 100 hours standby) Next we have the Neptune Pine. It too is a standalone Android smartphone for your wrist and began on Kickstarter. It's still a bit on the pricey side at $335 bucks, but that is part of the Kickstarter funding. Here's a spec list for it (and here's the company website - NeptunePine.com): 2.4-inch display with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels 5-megapixel main rear-facing camera (Useable because you can detach the smartphone piece out of the wristband) 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 (Cortex A5-based) processor A microSIM card slot Android 4.1 Jelly Bean 810mAh Battery What do you think of these devices? Could it be small startups that finally get the ball rolling on this burgeoning industry?


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Post a New Topic
Feature story: Steeped in coffee
Original post made
on Aug 19, 2013
You could say Oscar Nunez, the proprietor of High Note coffee, has coffee in his blood. "Coffee has always had a place in my life," says Mr. Nunez, who now lives in Menlo Park and imports and roasts the beans and sells them at farmers' markets in Woodside, Portola Valley, Daly City, San Carlos and Palo Alto.
Read the full story here Web Link
posted Monday, August 19, 2013, 8:11 AM


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Six firms win in state's VentureClash
Companies from Canada and the United Kingdom were big winners Thursday at the state's first VentureClash sponsored by Connecticut Innovations, which gave out $4.9 million to six companies after a business-pitch competition at Yale University's School of Management in New Haven.
Dream Payments of Canada won $1.5 million during the competition by financial technology and digital health companies, while Hubub of the United Kingdom took home $1 million. The top prize came with a $100,000 grant, while the second prize included a $50,000 grant, and other money was to be in the form of investments for equity in the companies.
Other $500,000 winners were AMP Credit Technologies of Hong Kong, BondIT of Israel, LindaCare of Belgium and Streamdata.io of France.
The idea behind the competition was to encourage more foreign companies to locate American outposts in Connecticut, said Lauren Carmody, director of marketing and communications for CI.
Stories that may interest you
President Jon Hendel said the going out of business sale will start July 25 and likely last for about 90 days,
Retailers are ramping up marketing efforts for reusable shopping bags as they brace for Thursday, Aug. 1, when the state kicks off a 10-cent tax on single-use plastic bags ahead of an outright ban in 2021.


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The timeline on banning the sale of new petrol, diesel or hybrid cars in the UK will be brought forward after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced earlier today that he would bring the legislation forward by five years.
This decision follows concerns from experts who have said the original 2040 ban would be too late for the UK if it wanted to reach its zero-carbon targets by 2050.
Tom Pakenham, Director of Electric Vehicles at OVO, was excited by the announcement, saying that it represented the environmental focus of the UK and speed up EV adoption rates.
“The UK is uniquely placed to lead the world in the electrification of transport and bolster renewable energy generation through electric vehicle (EV) adoption. The move to bring forward the ban on petrol and diesel engines indicates how the government is serious in doing just that,” said Tom Pakenham, Director of Electric Vehicles at OVO. “The new 2035 deadline will accelerate the supply and uptake of electric vehicles, but also give enterprises and the grid enough time to create the solutions needed to effectively manage them.”
However, not everyone in the industry was happy about this. Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, was concerned about the lack of clarity within the automotive sector and the current demand for electric vehicles.
“It’s extremely concerning that government has seemingly moved the goalposts for consumers and industry on such a critical issue. Manufacturers are fully invested in a zero emissions future, with some 60 plug-in models now on the market and 34 more coming in 2020. However, with current demand for this still expensive technology still just a fraction of sales, it’s clear that accelerating an already very challenging ambition will take more than industry investment. This is about market transformation, yet we still don’t have clarity on the future of the plug-in car grant – the most significant driver of EV uptake – which ends in just 60 days’ time, while the UK’s charging network is still woefully inadequate.”
He also added that a date without a plan will merely destroy value today, calling for more information on how the government plans to fulfil its ambitions in a sustainable way, “one that safeguards industry and jobs, allows people from all income groups and regions to adapt and benefit, and, crucially, does not undermine sales of today’s low emission technologies, including popular hybrids, all of which are essential to deliver air quality and climate change goals now.”


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The grand vision for a rejuvenated Hollywood first emerged seven years ago during a luncheon for wealthy businessmen at the Brown Derby.
By the end of dessert and coffee, broadcaster Bill Welsh had collected thousands of dollars in pledges for the feasibility study that later would qualify the tattered movie capital for an enormous, government-subsidized make-over. The new Hollywood that Welsh and others envisioned was one of gleaming office towers, posh hotels, high-rise condominiums, trendy restaurants, first-run theaters and vibrant shopping areas.
"I told them that we are building the Hollywood of the 21st Century," recalled Welsh, who headed the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce at the time. "I meant that it would be in place by the 21st Century.
"Now, I am afraid that we won't even be building a lot of it until the 21st Century."
The heart and soul of Hollywood's dream for revival, the renaissance of once-glorious Hollywood Boulevard, has fallen on hard times. Four years after the city of Los Angeles officially launched its $922-million Hollywood redevelopment effort, no major development has risen on Los Angeles' most famous--and, some say, disappointing--thoroughfare.
"There is a psychology of pessimism that we have to break," said Christine Essel, vice president of Paramount Pictures Corp. and a member of an advisory panel on Hollywood renewal. "There is this sense that this whole thing has stagnated."
Signs of renewal are few and far between. The elegantly restored Roosevelt Hotel, once regarded as a symbol of the boulevard's resurgence, is in bankruptcy. The recently relocated Brown Derby, for decades a famous gathering place for Hollywood's upper crust, has gone out of business. The historic Ontra Cafeteria, a fixture at the legendary intersection of Hollywood and Vine, had deteriorated into a refuge for transients before being gutted by fire in March.
"Hollywood is a world treasure, and what has happened here should never have been allowed to happen by any management of any city," said Bob Goldfarb, whose distinctive McDonald's restaurant is one of the boulevard's few new success stories. "There is a great deal of indifference."
Once a popular entertainment district with movie palaces, live theaters, nightclubs, restaurants and clothing stores, the boulevard deteriorated over the last few decades into what one planning consultant described as an "unimaginative . . . quick-stop tourist destination."
T-shirt shops, fast-food restaurants, Hollywood memorabilia shops and inexpensive clothing stores dominate the tree-lined roadway, which also features boarded-up storefronts, graffiti-strewn facades and several businesses offering X-rated magazines and movies.
"When you drive down the boulevard you see a derelict eating out of the trash can and a lot of vacant stores," said Michael Kellerman, owner of Hollywood Fantasy Tours, a local sightseeing business. "You don't want to stop. You'd rather see Disneyland."
Several proposed large-scale developments intended to turn around the thoroughfare have fallen victim to financing difficulties, bureaucratic obstacles and a prevailing uneasiness about whether Hollywood truly is ripe for recovery.
"There was an amazing amount of speculation at the beginning, where people bought land thinking it would go up in value and all kinds of things would be happening," said Jim Wood, chairman of the city's Community Redevelopment Agency, which runs the revitalization effort for the 1.7-square-mile area. "They have now become very frustrated."
Most notably, construction of the much ballyhooed Hollywood Promenade, proposed to wrap around Mann's Chinese Theater, has yet to begin despite three groundbreaking ceremonies--the most recent more than a year ago. Rumors that the project may never get built recently swept Hollywood when a construction trailer and chain-link fence were removed from the project site.
The $300-million complex of museums, offices, movie theaters, shops and a hotel has long been looked to as the physical and psychological cornerstone of the boulevard's road to recovery. Developers Melvin Simon & Associates, one of the nation's largest shopping center developers, said the 5-year-old project "is going to happen," but described it as "very, very financially difficult."
Simon Vice President Michael Marr said it will be at least three years before the Promenade opens.
"You can't build money losers," he said. "It has been a major issue for us to find ways to make this into something that we can put on the boulevard. We are going to do it, but, boy, it has not been easy."
Hollywood real estate broker Bruce Canfield, who helped assemble the eight-acre Promenade site, said property values continue to climb, but he said big investors are waiting for "something to happen" before building. No one, he said, wants to be first to take the plunge and potentially wind up with a costly white elephant.


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On Australia Day a wave of patriotism spreads across the nation like vegemite on hot, buttered toast. Australian flags appear on cars and clothes. Australian songs dominate the airwaves (or should I say the playlists) and we celebrate one exemplary individual as Australian of the Year (yes, I know, it’s likely to be a sports “hero” again).
On Australia Day, it’s a celebration of Australian-ness in all it’s gory beauty. It’s a celebration of shared values with more than a touch of larrikin humour.
But sometimes what we THINK of as Australian is less than true blue. Vegemite is one. But there are many others.
Dick Smith’s products have always called this out. In the 80s he was famous for “Dick jokes” – using his name to send a nod and a wink to the mums and dads at home in TV land while cleverly entrenching himself as “one of us”. After all, he was using that great Australian value – Larrikin humour – to differentiate himself from everyone else. You’d hardly imagine Tandy Electronics using the tag line “electronic dick” in their advertising, would you?
But Dick Smith’s latest campaign for his home grown products has sailed into troubled waters. Falling foul of regulators, the 60 second spot received a PG rather than G rating. This means that the ad can’t be shown in the peak slots around the 6pm news bulletins.
Take a look at the ad. While times have changed and we are certainly a more conservative nation than we once were, it’s not a patch on the ads that used to run when I was a kid. And it’s almost un-Australian to not like a dick joke.
I don’t know about you, but I love Dick.


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Borders Group Inc. has not had substantial discussions regarding a possible sale of the bookseller and was moving forward on efforts to improve its business, Chief Executive George Jones said today.
The CEO provided the update to investors during the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based company's annual meeting of shareholders in Dearborn. The meeting came a day after a report in The Wall Street Journal that rival bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc. had assembled a team to study the possibility of acquiring Borders.
Borders said in March that it may put itself up for sale and that it had lined up $42.5 million in financing to help it continue operations.
Borders is more than a year into a restructuring that includes revamping its U.S. superstores as part of an effort to lure more shoppers and a jump back into online bookselling after seven years paired with Amazon.com Inc. Borders' new Web site is expected be ready to start taking orders soon.
Any deal between Borders and Barnes & Noble would need to address possible antitrust concerns from federal regulators because the two book chains combined control about one-third of the market.
-- The Associated Press


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McDonalds SA turns to converged comms
MOBILE| Feb. 1, 2013, 8:20 a.m.
McDonald's South Africa, part of the global leading global food service retailer, is using IBM social business software to embrace the convergence of social, mobile and cloud facilitating its expansion to new markets and enabling its employees to collaborate more effectively.
McDonald's is working with IBM and its Business Partner, Knowledge Dimension, to transform the way its almost 200 restaurants and 8000 employees communicate and collaborate, thereby helping the company communicate and operate more effectively. McDonald's will begin transforming into a social enterprise to help geographically dispersed employees to communicate more effectively, sharing ideas that will allow them to deliver exceptional customer service.
Established in South Africa in November 1995, this market is considered one of the most successful markets for McDonald's international and initially opened 30 restaurants in just 23 months. The company has trained and employed almost 8000 South Africans at various levels, including franchisees, restaurant managers and crew.
"With our intended aggressive expansion plans – growing the number of restaurants by approximately 25 restaurants a year – improved communications is undoubtedly a business imperative," says Greg Solomon , Managing Director for McDonald's South Africa. "Equipping our employees with a social network to improve communication is critical in helping us fulfill our brand promise to customers for quality, service, cleanliness, and value."
Challenged by having to communicate across this vastly dispersed organisation, the company sought a more effective way to reach every one of their crew, driving engagement and collaboration across the system.
"The company's 'Engagement with our People' initiative kick started in 2011, intended to implement processes and tools between head office, Owner Operators (Franchisees), restaurant managers and crew (employees) to increase productivity, improve decision-making and achieve measurable business results has been hugely accelerated with this solution, giving management and staff a new way of interacting, collaborating and sharing information and expertise," says Gary Swale, Director, Business Development, Knowledge Dimension.
McDonald's SA is currently using IBM Connections and IBM Sametime instant messaging software to support internal communication and training requirements across their branch network.
The McDonald's crew (staff at restaurant level) will access the platform via an innovative, first-to-market in South Africa, mobile solution, supplemented by in-restaurant touch screen docking stations. This phase is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2013.
"McDonald's decision to embrace social business is pioneering and is reflective of the need to find smarter ways of working," says Alistair Rennie , general manager, social business, IBM. "McDonald's is taking a purposeful approach, using social technologies to engage employees, empower customers and drive organizational performance to secure a competitive advantage."
The agreement with McDonald's was signed in late 2012.
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Greenlight district, WayForward has announced that classically-styled platforming adventure Shantae: Risky's Revenge will make its Steam debut on July 15.
"Shantae: Risky's Revenge – Director's Cut hits STEAM for Win PC next week, July 15!" WayForward tweeted. "Features to be announced shortly!" For those keeping score at home, this will be the third platform for Shantae: Risky's Revenge, a colorful platformer which initially debuted on DSiWare in 2011 before earning a special new outfit in its iOS re-release. WayForward is playing coy, but with any luck that "Director's Cut" qualifier will indicate that the Steam version includes all content and features found in its predecessors.


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Hank Goldberg started out in a “shack” in Studio City in 1953, selling tires loaned to him by his brother-in-law.
“He was open seven days a week, 12 hours a day,” said his son Steve. Hank then moved to a small shed in Encino, across from the Queen’s Arms restaurant, where he offered only 50 to 100 tires. “It was so easy then as there were only a half dozen tire sizes,” said Steve.
A few moves later and Hank’s moved to its current location at 19951 Ventura Blvd. near Winnetka, which used to be a Unocal station.
Hank’s Tires now has 26 employees and offers tires, full auto repair and mechanics. They are an AAA-approved auto repair shop.
Hank’s is now run by Steve Goldberg, who graduated El Camino High School and attended Pierce College and San Diego State before taking over the shop in 1977. “It’s the only job I’ve ever had!” he told Valley News Group.
Today Goldberg supports the local community by donating to local churches and synagogues.
For the 70th anniversary Goldberg is running specials next Tuesday through Sunday, including purchase four tires and get a free $125 alignment. There will also be a raffle drawing for free t-shirts, a bbq, gifts and the grand prize of an electric bike. For more information call (818) 340-4200.


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An Xbox 360 Streaming Adhere is likely to be released in June 2021. According to Jeff Grubb, a observed industry insider, the unit will look like a tiny Roku puck or Amazon . com Fire Stay. However , Microsoft has not however made any official announcement regarding the product. The Xbox Communicate Stick as well available in the arriving months, but it really is likely the company will announce it at E3 in 06. Ultimately, the stick will be a cheaper option than consoles, nonetheless it will be a helpful tool for Xbox gamers.
Microsoft features dabbled in hardware over time, but its Xbox 360 brand continues to be one of its the majority of popular projects. The Xbox 360 system Streaming Stay will permit consumers jump into the Game Pass ecosystem and never have to buy a dedicated console. The gaming console is anticipated to be available sometime in the next season and will supply the same , the burkha features while the Game Complete. The Xbox Streaming Adhere will cost approximately $50, that makes it significantly cheaper than a committed console.
The Xbox Internet Stick’s intro to probiotics benefits will enlarge the number of devices that can stream content. It might not be a adhere, but rather a dance shoes puck, and definitely will stream content to computer monitors and television sets. There are many rumours regarding the system, but the business did state that it plans to “pivot away from current interactions” with games and media. The https://bluewhalesng.com/investment-banking-crm-software-vs-data-room-investment-banking/ Xbox Streaming Keep will be available inside the first 50 % of 2018, so the company hopes it can discharge the product sooner than later.


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RBS finds women-led firms less likely to ask for external funding
More than half of female business owners are planning to expand their operations despite being less likely than men to ask for funding, a study from Royal Bank of Scotland has found.
Although 53 per cent of female entrepreneurs are looking to grow their businesses over the next three years, 78 per cent have never asked for external funding.
A quarter of male business owners said they were likely to seek finance from an external source, compared to 21 per cent of their female counterparts, according to the survey conducted by YouGov.
It also found that women launch their ventures with an average of 53 per cent less capital than men, while 52 per cent of the approximately 500 women surveyed had never asked for a pay rise.
The most common reasons for this were lacking the confidence to request a higher rate of pay, cited by 37 per cent of respondents, and feeling uncomfortable while talking about money, cited by 22 per cent.
Ask for More
This comes as RBS launches its Ask for More campaign, which aims to provide women with the support and tools they need to “better realise their potential”.
The drive will place a particular focus on supporting women running their own enterprises or taking the first steps to launch a business.
Its latest research builds on the findings of the Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship, which was led and released by Rose, now RBS chief executive, earlier this year.
The review stated that up to £250 billion of new value could be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as men.
Rose, who made history as the first woman to run one of Britain’s major high street lenders when she took over the Edinburgh-headquartered banking group at the start of this month, has pledged to build a bank that is “more open, more accessible and more inclusive”.
'Businesswomen face similar challenges'
Susan Fouquier, managing director of business banking at RBS, said: “We want anyone, regardless of gender, to feel that they can truly realise their potential – and not be afraid to ask for more support.
“Our research shows that there is an opportunity for RBS to help support female entrepreneurs better, whether that’s through providing training and advice, or funding and networking.
“Businesswomen across Scotland face similar challenges. By helping to bring together their businesses, we can share experience and give practical help to allow female entrepreneurs to achieve their full potential.”
Women-owned businesses in Scotland currently contribute £8.8bn to the Scottish economy each year and generate more than 230,000 jobs across Scotland.
The RBS Ask for More campaign is being launched in addition to the lender’s Back Her Business and Women in Business initiatives.


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The chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee has joined in the concerns on Capitol Hill about the proposed sale of Smithfield Farms to a Chinese company resulting in potential food-safety and national-security issues.
The proposed sale of Smithfield, the country’s largest pork producer and processor, to Shuanghui International is valued at $7.1 billion and if completed would be among the largest Chinese acquisitions of a U.S. company.
“The agencies responsible for approving this possible merger must take into account China and Shuanghui’s troubling track record on food safety and do everything in their power to ensure our national security and the health of our families is not jeopardized,” Sen. Stabenow, chairwoman Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, said earlier this week.
The Michigan Democrat points out that Shuanghui International -- China’s leading pork producer -- admitted in 2010 that an illegal additive was put in its food products.
She also cited thousands of dead hogs found earlier this year floating down the Huangpu River in Shanghai and argued China’s entire food system has recently been plagued by reports of contamination.
Stabenow is joined in her concerns by such Capitol Hill lawmakers as Iowa Republican Sen. Charles Grassley, Connecticut Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Virginia Republican Rep. Randy Forbes.
Grassley thinks the deal could squeeze family farmers and independent producers out of competitive markets and has called for reviews by the Justice Department and the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment.
Though the sale has attracted international attention from the food industry to the financial markets, it has so far faced little public opposition beyond the Hill lawmakers and the National Farmers Union.
“Now, in one fell swoop, 26 percent of U.S. pork processing and 15 percent of domestic hog production will be controlled by a foreign company, union President Roger Johnson said.
The proposed deal also comes as Congress attempts to stop China’s alleged currency manipulation and China President President Xi Jinping meet this weekend with President Obama in Palm Springs, Calif.
A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation on Wednesday to stop China and other countries from the manipulation practice in which they intentionally undervalue their currency to give their companies an unfair price advantage in international markets.
Smithfield executives told investors in announcing the sale May 29 that the merger would open the company “to a large and growing Chinese market” while retaining “world-leading food safety and quality control standards.”
“This is a great transaction for all Smithfield stakeholders, as well as for American farmers and U.S. agriculture," said C. Larry Pope, president and chief executive officer of Smithfield, the Virginia-based company known for its bacon, glazed hams and other pork products.
Smithfield has a history of exporting to China, among the world’s biggest pork consumers.
Steve Meyer, president of Iowa-based Paragon Economics, points out the deal will not result in the United States importing hogs, in part a response to food-safety concerns.
“The hogs, the jobs will still come from the U.S,” he told AgriNews. “A Chinese company will own it, but everything is geographically here.”


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GitHub could soon be a part of the Microsoft umbrella as reports indicate that the Windows 10 maker has agreed to acquire one of the most used code repository around the world.
According to people familiar with the matter, the deal could be announced as soon as Monday. According to one persons familiar with the matter, GitHub went for Microsoft partially because it was impressed by CEO Satya Nadella. Also the decision to sell the company was preferred over going public. Reports indicate that the company was last valued at $2 billion in 2015.
The acquisition provides a way forward for San Francisco-based GitHub, which has been trying for nine months to find a new CEO and has yet to make a profit from its popular service that allows coders to share and collaborate on their work. It also helps Microsoft, which is increasingly relying on open-source software, to add programming tools and tie up with a company that has become a key part of the way Microsoft writes its own software.
Frank Shaw, a spokesman for Microsoft, declined to comment. GitHub didn’t return an email seeking request for comment.
GitHub is an essential tool for coders. Many corporations, including Microsoft and Alphabet’s Google, use GitHub to store their corporate code and to collaborate. It’s also a social network of sorts for developers. While GitHub’s losses have been significant – it lost $66 million over three quarters in 2016 – it had revenue of $98 million in nine months of that year.
In August, GitHub announced that it was looking for a CEO to replace Chris Wanstrath, one of the company’s co-founders. In the interim, GitHub’s Chief Business Officer Julio Avalos joined the company’s board of directors and took over much of the day-to-day leadership of the company.
Microsoft has talked to GitHub on and off for a few years. Recently they began talks about a partnership but progressed to discussing an acquisition, according to another person familiar with the situation.
GitHub hosts 27 million software developers working on 80 million repositories of code. Microsoft, once opposed to that kind of open-source software development, is now one if the biggest contributors to GitHub. As Nadella increasingly moves the company away from complete dependence on the Windows operating system to more in-house development on Linux, the company needs new ways to connect with the broader developer community.


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‘We’ve had no notice’ - Dissapointment in town as local post office closes
- Credit: Archant
Residents in a Suffolk town have been left without a vital post office branch for over two months after it unexpectedly closed.
According to residents, the Post Office branch in the Premier store on Pakefield Street, Lowestoft has been open and closed on and off for the past year.
But now, there is anger in the community after the branch was shut in September, with a Post Office spokesperson confirming it has closed temporarily due to ‘operational reasons,’ with no indication as to when the branch will reopen.
When pushed by this newspaper to explain what these ‘operational reasons’ are, the Post Office spokesperson said they are not expanding on the statement given any further.
In an email sent to one resident in Pakefield, George Redpath, a Post Office customer services advisor said: “The branch has been closed due to circumstances beyond Post Office Ltd’s control. I can’t give you any further details about the closure as this information is private and confidential, I’m also unable to say at the moment when the branch will reopen.”
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Mr Redpath said: “The branch has been shut for over two months now and has been open and closed for over a year ever since Premier Convenience Stores took it over from SPAR a year ago.
“I went to pick up a parcel from the store recently and just noticed it was closed.
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“The woman behind the counter has no idea what is going on either.
“The next nearest post office branch is by Rosedale Surgery in Carlton Colville and this just isn’t good enough for elderly residents who rely on a nearby post office.
“We’ve had no notice about why it has been closed, it is leading to speculation in the community, we just want answers, why is it closed and when is it reopening?”
The Post Office spokesperson added: “Pakefield Post Office has unfortunately closed in September due to operational reasons and the premises no longer being available for Post Office use.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the unplanned closure. We are trying to restore Post Office service to the area as we know how important a Post Office is to a community.
“In the interim alternative branches include Kirkley, Carlton Colville and Ashburnham Way.”


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Miami-born coffee company Per’La Specialty Roasters has taken a big swim across the Atlantic, opening a roastery in Newbury, England.
Per’La founders and former University of Miami friends Chris Nolte and Paul Massard have been joined in the UK venture by John Kane, who approached the company while seeking a way to fuse specialty coffee with his love of cars in his home town about 60 miles (96 kilometers) west of London.
“After several planning meetings we felt confident we could open up a mirror image of our Per’La Miami concept in the UK,” Nolte recently told DCN.
Thankfully for all parties involved, those introductory meetings took place prior to cross-country COVID-19 shutdowns, and Per’La UK is now up and running in 5,000-square-foot industrial space.
While ample parking allows for the destination’s car enthusiasts to gawk over classic rides and freshly prepared drinks, guests are greeted inside by two cars on turntables that provide 360-degree views and lead to the coffee bar.
Roasting and production with a Loring S15 Falcon machine are visible from both the main retail and the parking area through large windows.
“We are using the Loring system, which really came in handy during the pandemic because it allowed us to launch the entire Per’La UK concept remotely,” Nolte said. “We were fortunate to have been able to host the UK leadership team just before the travel restrictions came into place so their initial in-person training combined with a host of digital platforms allowed for us to close the training gaps without being there in person.”
Nolte said about 85% of the coffees on offer at its Coral Gables retail cafe are also on offer at the UK branch, with coffees coming from sourcing relationships developed by Massard, who prior to Per’La held coffee positions in Honolulu and at The Roasterie in Kansas City, Missouri.
One of those coffees is Per’La’s foundational espresso blend (Espresso Fino). Despite some nervousness from the owners about how it might translate in the UK given local differences in water chemistry, it’s been received with open arms.
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“We look at many of our coffees as a great link between second- and third-wave blends,” said Nolte, “and the Espresso Fino blend is doing a great job of getting people drinking third-wave coffee.”
In addition to the advanced machinery at the UK coffee bar — including a La Marzocco Linea PB AV and Mahlkönig E80 grinders for espresso — the shop offers an auto racing simulator that can be rented out during shop hours.
Per’La is already investigating future international locations for expansion, with plans to begin roasting in Barcelona, Spain, plus potential plans in the Carribbean.
Said Nolte, “We really think we have something that’s both special and scalable.”


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Black Designers of Canada Initiative Joins Forces with Fashion Art Toronto to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Fashion Industry
The Black Designers of Canada (BDC) initiative is excited to announce its partnership with Fashion Art Toronto (FAT), one of Canada’s most dynamic fashion events. The collaboration aims to empower and showcase the work of Black designers and artists, promoting diversity and inclusion in the Canadian fashion industry.
As a leader in the fashion industry, FAT has always been committed to creating a platform for emerging and established designers and artists to showcase their work. With the partnership with BDC, the organization aims to promote diversity and inclusivity in the industry by providing a platform for Black designers to showcase their work and break through barriers that have prevented them from fully participating in the fashion industry.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Fashion Art Toronto to further our mission of empowering Black designers in Canada,” said George Sully, founder of the Black Designers of Canada initiative. “This collaboration will provide a much-needed platform for Black designers to showcase their talent, while raising awareness about the importance of diversity and inclusivity in the Canadian fashion industry.”
Through the partnership, BDC and FAT will create opportunities for Black designers to showcase their work at Fashion Art Toronto’s events, which attracts a diverse audience of industry professionals, fashion enthusiasts, and media representatives. The collaboration will also include a mentorship program, workshops, and other initiatives aimed at supporting and nurturing the growth of Black designers in the Canadian fashion industry.
“Fashion Art Toronto is committed to supporting the creative community and fostering a more diverse and inclusive fashion industry,” said Vanja Vasic, Founder and Executive Director of Fashion Art Toronto. “We are excited to partner with the Black Designers of Canada initiative and provide a platform for Black designers to showcase their talent and inspire change in the industry.”
The collaboration between BDC and FAT is an important step towards creating a more inclusive and diverse fashion industry in Canada. The partnership will not only provide opportunities for Black designers but also inspire other organizations to support and promote diversity in the industry.
Media Contact: Sarah B


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SBDC hosts free hurricane preparedness seminar
Florida Gulf Coast University Small Business Development Center (SBDC), in partnership with several Southwest Florida agencies, will host a free hurricane preparedness seminar this Saturday, July 23 at the Sunshine Ace Hardware, located at 9100 Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs. The seminar kicks off at 10 a.m. with light refreshments provided by Perkins restaurant in Bonita Springs.
Panelists include representatives from the Lee County Emergency Operations Center, Small Business Administration, Bonita Springs Fire & Rescue, and City of Bonita Springs. Moderator for the discussion will be Dan Regelski, director for the FGCU Small Business Development Center. The discussion is from 10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. followed by a question and answer session.
The Southwest Florida Urban Search & Rescue team will be on hand, as well as tours on the Florida Small Business Mobile Assistance Center Bus – vehicle used during natural disasters to help small businesses get up and running.
“This is our third hurricane seminar held at Sunshine Ace Hardware,” said Regelski. Sunshine Ace has been a good partner for us by providing space as well as helping us to market the event to the small business community and residents in Bonita Springs – it truly shows their commitment to the community.”
In addition to the panel discussion, several Sunshine Ace vendors will display their company’s goods and will donate door prize giveaways. The American Red Cross will also provide resource information.
For more information, contact the SBDC main office at 239-745-3700 or register online at www.sbdc.seminars.org.


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Although it wasn’t mentioned during finance minister and prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Budget 2023 speech earlier this evening, there are updates related to electric vehicle (EV) policies in the retabled budget. These were included in the touch points that were released later in the evening.
The current import duty and excise duty exemption for fully-imported (CBU) EVs will now be extended for yet another year to December 31, 2025. It was originally set to end in December 31, 2023, before being extended in the first tabling of Budget 2023 to December 31, 2024.
That’s not all. The excise duty and sales tax exemption for locally-assembled (CKD) EVs has also been extended – it is now in place until December 31, 2027, two years more than the original deadline, which was December 31, 2025.
Likewise, the import tax exemption period for components used in local CKD assembly of EVs. Originally set to run until December 31, 2025, it has been extended by two years to December 31, 2027.
As announced in the first tabling of the budget last October, the government is providing manufacturers of EV charging equipment 100% income tax exemption from year of assessment 2023 to 2032. It will also offer these manufacturers 100% investment tax allowance (Elaun Cukai Pelaburan) for a period of five years.


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Somebody knows what can be? Ilife says "it cannot be fixed" and because the warranty ran out bascally i must drop it away.
The Roborock S4 and S5 Max are both great robot vacuums, but which one will better suit your needs? We compared the Roborock S5 Max with S4 side-by-side and performed a few cleaning tests to show the differences and help you decide which one to choose.
At CES 2020, Roborock released a new robot vacuum cleaner. The company added a new product to its existing main robot vacuum line-up: the Roborock S6 Pure.
There is not much information but so far we know that the new model has the same Lidar-guided and navigation system, 13 types of sensors, and carpet boost, at a more affordable price point.
It will be available to buy on Amazon in the second quarter of 2020 at a price of around $549.
The company also announced its first cordless vacuum cleaner, the Roborock H6, which is a great addition to a robot vacuum.
December 23, 2019
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The OZMO 960 is equipped with Lidar and a camera to recognize objects on the floor and it suprizingly works fine. In addition to the features we know about (room recignition, zoned cleaning, no-go zones), now you can see the objects on the map when the robot finished cleaning.
A few ECOVACS DEEBOT robots are now available to buy on Gearbest:


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Samsung Malaysia Electronics introduces its new Smart TV line-up with fresh and updated features. Furthermore, the Korean company also showcases its digital audio line-up with new devices that turn any home entertainment setup into an optimal sound environment with a number of wireless connectivity enhancements.
“Malaysian consumers are demanding more from their televisions and audio visual products in order to achieve the ultimate home entertainment experience. We’re offering a brand new audio visual experience with Smart Interaction, which allows users to seamlessly interact with their TV using motion and voice control, while the Smart Evolution Kit makes Samsung Smart TVs evolving TVs, enabling users to enjoy the latest Smart TV technologies without purchasing a new TV unit,” says Kwon Jae Hoon, Managing Director of Samsung Electronics Malaysia.
First to show its screen is Samsung Smart LED TV F8000. The thin profile with its Arc stand is aimed to make the TV appear floating in the air. Additionally, the F8000 is among Samsung’s first line of Smart TV equipped with Intelligent Viewing, which creates an optimised picture quality depending on the type of content. If that’s not enough, take a look inside to see a quad-core processor powering the TV. It will be available Q3 this year and comes in 55in and 65in screen size.
Next on the list is the manufacturer’s Smart Plasma TV F8500. Using Super Contrast Panel, Samsung mentions the TV ‘gives incredible brightness and contrast, delivering supreme image outputs’. Pairing the panel with Real Black Pro filter, the plasma TV also offers better black levels in bright rooms.
Interestingly, Samsung also preview its S9 UHD. It offers sizes up to 110in with Ultra High-Definition resolution. The S9 can upscale HD or full HD content to UHD quality to fit larger size display purposes. With quad-core processor in it, the UHD TV also offer a three-way 2.2 channels of 120 Watt sound.
Then, users can finally stay up-to-date with the arrival of the Smart Evolution Kit, which is arriving this year. Available on Series 7, 8 and 9 2012 Smart TVs; it offers both software and hardware updates that include access to the 2013 Smart Hub and other Smart features. This includes upgrading the set’s dual-core processor to quad-core.
Putting the visual aside, Samsung’s Blu-ray Home Entertainment System HT-F9750W will be the latest audio equipment for users. The entertainment system allows users to run multiple apps at once for easier access to the latest Smart Hub and AllShare features. Aside from this, there is also Samsung BD-F7500 Blu-ray player that is capable of upgrading non-Samsung Smart TV into the company’s Smart TV.


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Kacha Digital Financial Service, the pioneering private payment instrument issuer in Ethiopia, has emerged as the winner of the highly anticipated Ethiopian edition of the esteemed Visa Everywhere Initiative (VEI) for 2023. This global innovation program and competition for start-ups and fintech companies have recognized Kacha as the frontrunner, catapulting them into the spotlight of the financial technology landscape.
Kacha has been awarded a monetary prize of USD 25,000, underscoring its innovative approach to transforming the financial sector in Ethiopia. This substantial reward not only acknowledges their remarkable achievements but also provides a significant boost to their continued growth and development.
With several contenders vying for the top spot, Qena, a formidable participant, secured an impressive second place, earning a well-deserved prize of USD 15,000. Meanwhile, Smile Pay, a noteworthy contender in its own right, clinched third place and received a commendable USD 10,000.
The Visa Everywhere Initiative serves as a global platform that celebrates and encourages groundbreaking ideas and innovative solutions within the fintech realm.
The success of Kacha, along with the achievements of Qena and Smile Pay, highlights the vibrant and burgeoning fintech ecosystem in Ethiopia.
As Ethiopia embraces the digital revolution in the financial sector, Kacha’s victory stands as a testament to the remarkable potential and transformative power of innovative start-ups and fintech companies. With their groundbreaking solutions and unwavering determination, these trailblazers are reshaping the way we perceive and interact with money, propelling Ethiopia into a new era of financial innovation and inclusion.


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The e-Sports (electronic sports) is an Internet sensation with more capacity for growth and economic projection in the 21st century. Video gaming competitions have become a worldwide mass phenomenon with spectacular audiences that on many occasions outperform popular sports.
The retransmission of these competitions is not only done by internet but by television as well and with impressive tracking figures. In 2018, an audience of over 290 million people has been calculated.
Economic Bloom in Europe
France is the third European country in terms of audience for eSports. In 2017, 37 million television viewers in Europe regularly watched the competitions. For their part, the French had more than 2 million viewers. A figure that could reach 2.8 million in 2019. In comparison, these audiences are equivalent to renowned television programs.
France – behind Russia and Sweden, but ahead of Germany and the United Kingdom – is expected to have a generated amount of $ 25.7 million in terms of revenue in 2018. While $ 30.4 million out of the expected 385 million in Europe in 2019 is estimated.
The country sees an opportunity to develop in a booming sector. Announced in 2018, the FFF (French Football Federation) has decided to launch a team from France eSports division. On their side, television channels and manufacturers are also active and see it as a growing opportunity. M6 announced in February 2018 a minority stake in Glory4Gamers or Renault which joined the ranks of Team Vitality by creating its own eSports team.
Esports industry creating job opportunities
Esports is a promising sector for jobs: the Paris Gaming School, the first school specializing in video games in Paris, trains students in eSports. Its founder, Gary Point, recalled that the school not only trains cyber athletes but also eSports professionals, such as coaches, managers, observers, commentators, etc. Recruitment needs are important, and there is still little training available to answer them.
According to the reports, form late 2017 to early 2018 the video game industry generated direct employment of 8,790 people and its production is equal to 0.11 of Spain’s GDP. In addition, it should be noted that for every euro invested in the videogame industry in the country, there is an impact of 3 euros on the economy as a whole and for every job generated in the videogame sector 2.6 are created in other sectors. It is a very revealing fact, said the general director of AEVI.
According to the report, the total impact on the production of the videogame sector was 3,577 million euros, the added value was 1,452 million euros which resulted in 22,828 jobs’ creation.
The commitment to eSports is being led in Spain by the main telecommunications companies. Nowadays, many popular telecommunication companies have their own channel on Twitch, an online platform to view the eSports tournaments. On the other hand, Orange sponsors the Superliga Orange of the League of Professional Video Games (LVP), a competition that has 23 million viewers and has a strong impact on social networks, with more than 200 million impacts on these online channels.
Economic Bloom in Brazil & SEA
Electronic sports have become a big name. The industry has become serious business, accompanied by millions of people. It moves billions of fans around the world. Brazil has 11.4 million eSports viewers. The country represents almost half the audience in Latin America, which is 23.7 million people. Statistically, Brazil is the third largest electronic sports market in the world. The country lost only to the United States and China.
There are over 11 countries in the SEA region, the overall population of the region is around 650 million. Out of this impressive figure, over 9 million people are fans of eSports. These numbers will reach twice figures by 2019. This just shows how much the region is dedicated to the eSports industry. Along with the dedicated, a single eSports startup creates many business opportunities for the people who love to work around it. The focus on eSports as whole make a positive impact in the economy of the country.
Out of these 11, 6 countries: Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam have shown impressive growth. Like from last year, the growth of eSports community in Malaysia has increased around 8 %. Looking at these trajectories, International and local gaming franchises are establishing academies and gaming hubs which directly create job opportunities for the talent minds.


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Blog: Sainsbury’s supermarket sweep
Leonie Barrie | 11 November 2009
Anyone who thought Sainsbury’s wouldn’t be able to hold its own in the fashion stakes against the likes of budget retailers Primark and George at Asda, was in for a surprise today.
Not only has the supermarket giant beat forecasts to gain on cheaper rivals during the recession, but it has also outlined ambitious plans for the growth of its non-food business – which includes fashion and footwear.
Milestones in the first-half of its current year include 1m transactions in a week for its flagship Tu clothing brand – the highest figure since its launch five years ago – and the “best ever” back to school season.
Significantly, the retailer said many of its gains were due to a move towards direct sourcing, with lower costs, integrated lines and better delivery among the benefits.
And there’s no doubt that as shoppers become more selective about what they buy, quality, design and presentation have a bigger role to play.
But for anyone who’s ever gone to do their normal grocery shop, and picked up a GBP10 or GBP15 jacket or cardigan and thrown it into the trolley too, perhaps convenience is the most compelling reason of all.
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Less than a year after releasing the Air Jordan XXX, Jordan Brand is back with another Michael Jordan signature shoe — the Air Jordan XXXI.
The label unveiled the latest court-ready shoe in Las Vegas — hosted by DJ Clark Kent and sneaker aficionado Russ Bengtson — which was streamed live via jordan.com. According to the brand, the Air Jordan XXXI is a representation of Jordan Brand’s balance of performance and fashion, giving lightweight support to athletes while offering off-court sensibilities.
The shoe, which was heavily inspired by the “Banned” Air Jordan 1, boasts a full-length Zoom Air unit. It also incorporates Flyweave in the forefoot that blends seamlessly into leather towards the heel.
For the first time, according to the brand, a Swoosh and Jumpman branding is featured alongside on a Air Jordan at the same time. The shoe also marks the first time a Swoosh logo has been featured on an Air Jordan since the Air Jordan 1.
The Air Jordan XXXI “Banned”arrives in stores globally, we well as on jordan.com, on Sept. 23.
But the unveil isn’t the first time the shoe has been spotted online. Chicago Bulls star Jimmy Butler posted an image guarding NBA champion Kyrie Irving during a Team USA practice wearing a red, white and blue pair of the shoe. Images also surfaced on social media in the last week of New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony wearing the same shoes during his Olympics practices.